this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2024
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Showerthoughts

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I hear phrases like "half-past", "quarter til", and "quarter after" way less often since digital clocks have became more commonplace. (midwest.social)
submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 38 points 8 months ago (3 children)

I did the same thing with my parents, mostly because they'd just say "quarter after" but would never say any number. If you made a word cloud of everything I've ever said in my life, "after what" would be gigantic in the center with every other word tiny around the edges.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago

This just triggered a deep memory from within me. My brother used to say "half past" when I asked him the time, and when I would say "half past what?" the response was always "Half past the monkeys ass, a quarter to his balls"

I still don't know what it means or where it came from, but when I was 8 years old, it was hilarious.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Even worse than that imo is 'quarter of'. I swear to god it's been used to mean both before or after whatever hour they're talking about

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago

mfrs think I know what hours its close to when I probably don't know the day and am lucky to know what month it is.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Anyone using "quarter of" to mean X:15 is just incorrect. That's "quarter after".

[–] [email protected] -2 points 8 months ago (3 children)

When you say quarter of, you are supposed to say the next hour. Quarter after 4 is a quarter of 5.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

That's... I guess that makes sense but that's really weird and ambiguous.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Quarter after four is 4:15.

Quarter of five is 4:45. Also quarter to five and quarter til five.

I'm seeing other comments that suggest I might be wrong. Especially in regards to other languages.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

I would not have guessed that meaning of "of." I think we should stick to "til" or "past" for clarity.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

EVERY TIME